A/HRC/13/40/Add.1 D. 1. (a) China Urgent appeal sent on 20 March 2008 jointly with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and urgent appeal sent on 9 April 2008 jointly with the Chairperson-Rapporteur of the Working Group on arbitrary detention, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the Independent Expert on minority issues, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Special Rapporteur on the question of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Allegations transmitted to the Government 13. In their urgent appeal of 20 March 2008, the Special Procedures mandate holders brought to the attention of the Government information they had received regarding reports of violence during demonstrations in the Tibet Autonomous Region and surrounding areas in China, killings of an unconfirmed number of people and arrests of hundreds of demonstrators. According to allegations received, demonstrations led by monks were organised on 10 March 2008 demanding greater freedom of religion and the release of monks detained since October 2007. It is reported that 300 monks from Drepung Monastery, near Lhasa, proceeded with a peaceful march towards the Potala Palace when they were stopped by the police. It is believed that around 60 monks suspected to be the leaders of the protest were arrested by the Public Security Bureau (PSB). Summaries of this joint urgent appeal are already reproduced in A/HRC/10/8/Add.1, paras. 23-33. 14. Subsequent to their urgent appeal of 20 March 2008, the Special Procedures mandate holders transmitted, in another urgent appeal of 9 April 2008, information they had received in relation to reports of killings, injuries and arrests of protestors in Gan Zi Xian, Sichuan Province, and the arrests of over 570 Tibetan monks, including children, in Aba Xian and in Ruanggui/Zoige Xian in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Summaries of this joint urgent appeal are already reproduced in A/HRC/10/8/Add.1, paras. 36-39. At the time the report to the tenth session of the Human Rights Council was finalized, the Special Rapporteur was not yet in a position to reflect the content of the reply from the Government of China dated 21 May 2008 as she had not received the translation of its content from the relevant services. The English translation has been carried out in the meantime and the Special Rapporteur reproduces its text below. (b) Response from the Government dated 21 May 2008 15. In its letter dated 21 May 2008, the Government of China responded to the joint urgent appeals of 20 March 2008 and 9 April 2008. The Government indicated that the events which had occurred in March 2008 in Lhasa and other places were incorrectly described as “peaceful demonstrations” but were actually serious acts of criminal violence, involving beating, the destruction of property, looting and arson. Faced with such violent criminal acts, which seriously disrupted public order and did serious damage to human life, property and security, it emphasized that no responsible Government could simply sit back and not act. The Government indicated that the situation in the aforementioned areas had subsequently calmed down, and stability and public order had been restored. The judicial authorities of the Tibet Autonomous Region and the other areas in question were dealing with the criminal suspects severely, in accordance with judicial procedures. Those whose offences were lesser and who displayed a positive attitude, acknowledging their guilt, had 7